The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-09

lstion of Treasury surplus that differ
ences so wide as appear in your COM
munication should still exist"
The opinion ia expressed that alcom-
promise measure reducing the Treas
ury surpIus, without injuring capital
or lab )r, eau and should be passed by
this Congress They assert that in
the cases cited where the proposed
compromise bill is said to increase the
tsrif the increase is apparent, not
real, but at the same time, for the
sake OF harmony, these articles might
be stricken out or the rates reduced.
The point is made that to admit TO
the free list certain articles which
Mr.. Carlisle asks for would be
destructive OF many important
agricultural and mechanical indus
tries; therefore, the writer's say, they
cannot concede to much. They add:
"You say that the substitute which you
recommend relates alone to the ad-
ministrative features of the law, while
that part OF the measure submitted by
US increases the rates OF taxation. A
careful comparison and analysis OF the
two measures proposed by us make
certain distinct reductions of rates
which the bill presented by you does
not, ard in some instances II increases
ths rates."
The letter discusses the tobacco aud
fruit brandy csu'es proposed By Mr..
Carlisle, and the writers say they are
ready to assent to them, but fail to see
how they alone can make the desired
reduction in revenue. The letter con-
tinues: 'Our object inIthe matter Of
the internal taxes is two fold; first, to
reduce the revenues, and second, to
relieve the people OF vexstious and
inquisitorlal methods Of taxation, ,Hsnd
to do this without offering tenn ptatien
to frauds or to the evaslons of
the law. Furthermore, 10 proposing
the abolition or reduction of internal
revenue tsxes,we believe we are in bar
mony with the principles and declara.
tions of the Democratic national plat
form. The internal revenue tax in
that platform is declared to be a war
tax, and the repeal of crushing war
taxes is demanded. 1t has, moreover,
been the policy OF our government
after each war to abandon this form of
tsxation first, d. evidenced under the
administrations of Jefferson and Jack-
son; and tax that requires an armed
force to execute it can never be popular
in free county. Your demand that if
the repeal of the tobacco tax
or otker internal taxes in whole or in
pant is insisted upon by US, then you
and those acting with you will insist
that in the came bill an equal amount
of reduction in revenue derived from
customs shall be made, if it presented
otherwise debatable ground for a com.
promise to forsstsll such action by
your further demand that the reduc-
ton in the tariff shall be made upon
such articles only as thoss with whom
you are acting shall indicate. This
Is equivalent to SAYING at the
outset that those holding different
views from your own and the views
Of those acting with you, shall be pre-
cluded from having any voice in de-
termining what thugs duties shall be
reduced on. But, in the first place,
internal taxes and customs have never
stood on equal ground in our system
OF taxation. Tariff taxes have been
always our chief reliance for revenue;
internal taxes have been the excep-
tional taxes. In the next place, we
hold it next to imp possibls to go adjust
tariff rates as to secure defuite re-
duction o'Yevenues, such as the repeal
or reduction of an internal revenue
tax will produce. We are ready to Join
in reducing the tariff on all articles
that are above the line OF difference
in cost OF production between this and
other countries, and on those things
on which the rate of duty is now
above that line, thus permitting mo-
nopolies to be formed to arbitrarily
raise the prices to the consumer, with
out benefiting labor. We think it the
imperative duty OF Cor gress to reduce
the tariff 80 as to prevent the possibility
of monopoly-combinatiops to put up
prices above the competing point.
Labor has 10 interest above the COM
peting line, or line that marks the diff
ference between cost and production;
but up to this point wage earners are
vitality concerned. The continued
of any competing product,
notwithstanding the tariff, is proof that
the duty is not above the line of diff
ference in cost. The tariff plank OF
the Democratic platform is referred to
a guiding principle which prevents
the writers from accediug to Mr.. Car
isles ideas. The writer's decline Mr..
Carlisle's propositionlto submit their
differences to caucus OF political
friends on the ground that
their differences are not pollti-
cal, but economic and indus.
trial such as Republicans as we'll as
Democrats differ among themselves
about. Measures which q caucus
should not have power to bind men
to, and adds: "In lieu, therefore, OF
a caucus, we suggest that members
representing the different phases
of the question involved in
the two measures under discus
sion, should be appointed to
take up these differences in
spirit of fairness, with q view of com
ing together on a measure all can sup
port, without either side being called
upon to surrender convictions or to
prove derelict in their duty to their
constituents. We urge the suggestion
of a conference the more because
many of the gentlemen acting with us
in the matter Of internal taxes do not
agree on all matters pertaining to the
tsriff. In accordance with your fourth
suggestion, that in case no other ar
raDgement is arrived at, upon reason
able notice, motion be made to 90
into the committee of the whole on
bi 9702, introduced by Mr.. Randall
at the late session of Congress I'VE have
to cay that due notice will be given Of
the time when it is proposed to make
such motion, SO that it may be gen.
orally known. We cannot, however,
close this communication without ex-
pressing again the hope that An agree